South Carolina priest says there's 'no place' for AI after Asia Catholic Church uses it for synodal document

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The Catholic Church in Asia recently turned to artificial intelligence to create a document for use by the wider Church in order that its members might more closely "walk together." 

The Vatican’s official media outlet, Vatican News, published a report revealing that synod organizers in Asia had used artificial intelligence to help draft a final document, as Catholic news outlet The Pillar reported.

A synod is a gathering, "traditionally of bishops," that helps the Church "to walk forward together in the same direction," notes the Salt and Light Catholic Media Foundation.

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The word "synod" comes from the Greek syn-hodos, meaning "the same way" or "the same path," it also notes.

The Asian synodal continental assembly in Bangkok, Thailand, was held on Feb. 24-26 as part of the global synodal process. It will be followed by the Synod on Synodality in Rome in October, reported the Vatican News.

The Catholic Church in Asia used AI to rate a synodal document, the Vatican News reported. A priest in South Carolina spoke out against this.  (iStock)

The Asia continental assembly was "the first of the continental assemblies to incorporate the use of digital technologies to gather the amendments and input from the participants," the Vatican News also said.

Fr. Clarence Devadass, a Malaysian priest who previously served as a consultor to the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue, told The Pillar that the process "began with the small groups that met throughout the assembly to discuss their responses to questions posed in the working document for the continental stage issued by the Vatican."

After each discussion session, the groups reportedly submitted a summary of their responses using Google Forms, he noted.

Once the data was received, the answers were put into AI software.

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Then, a command was given such as, "From the response below, highlight the common themes" — or, "Which are the responses that are specific only to one particular group?"

Another command given was this, said Fr. Devadass: "Which are the top priorities emerging from the data?" 

Pope Francis (right) is shown greeting Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI during a meeting with cardinals on Aug. 27, 2022, in Vatican City, Vatican, in Rome. While Pope Francis has applauded the benefits of artificial intelligence, he's warned against using AI "unethically or irresponsibly." (Vatican Media via Vatican Pool/Getty Images)

Humans then reviewed the AI-generated data for any inaccuracies, Fr. Devadass also said.

The priest continued, "We could safely say that it was effective in sorting the data and picking up on keywords, but it needs to be monitored by human resources to ensure the data reflected accurately the mood of the house."

"It is love that initiates creativity."

He also told The Pillar, "What would have taken a couple of hours to do was done in a couple of minutes. But to ensure the integrity of the responses, it was checked again later by members of the drafting committee against the ‘raw data.’"

A priest in South Carolina, however, told Fox News Digital that any development and/or use of AI "must defer always to the human person."

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"Our greatest asset as a human family is our ability to form and build relationships," said Fr. Jeffrey Kirby, pastor of Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church in Indian Land, South Carolina.

"It is only in loving and being loved that we can know the value and purpose of life. It is love that initiates creativity," said Kirby, who is also the host of the daily devotional program, "The Morning Offering with Father Kirby."

Fr. Jeff Kirby of South Carolina told Fox News Digital that AI is directly contradictory to the spirit of the synodal process. (Fr. Jeff Kirby)

"AI can have its limited place in society, but it must always be in service to human ingenuity and creativity. It cannot usurp a place that belongs to the human mind and heart," he added.

"We can sometimes forget the ‘artificial’ in AI," Fr. Kirby said.

"’Artificial’ is a far cry from what is natural and authentic. As human beings, we live in a world of relationships marked by love, hope, the giving of thanks and mutual accompaniment with others," he also said.

"There is nothing artificial about the true and meaningful things of human life."

"Our hearts and relationships are real," he continued. "There is nothing artificial about the true and meaningful things of human life."

Kirby added, "The Bible teaches us that we are made in the image and likeness of God, not in the image of AI. We cannot allow AI to steal what is human."

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He said as well, "Our relationships with one another, our giving and receiving of love, our exchanging of ideas and our capacity to learn from one another cannot be replaced by artificial intelligence."

Kirby said, "AI does not belong in the synodal process. The very process is about ‘heart speaking to heart.’ The synodal process is about the exchange of ideas, perspectives and experiences of life."

Pope Francis leads his traditional Wednesday General Audience at St. Peter's Square in Vatican City, March 8, 2023. The pope has praised the benefits of technology while warning against its unethical use, said Radio Veritas Asia. (Stefano Costantino/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

He added, "The use of AI in the synodal process is the very death of the authentic process itself."

Fr. Kirby said, "Synodality is about real human relationship and interactions. AI has no place in the synodal process."

The head of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis, met with scientists and experts from the world of technology and representatives of the Church at a gathering organized by the Vatican's Dicastery for Education and Culture in March, Radio Veritas Asia reported.

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The pontiff said that the true growth of scientific and technological innovation must be accompanied by "greater equality and social inclusion," that outlet notes.

"The concept of intrinsic human dignity requires us to recognize and respect the fact that a person's fundamental value cannot be measured by data alone," he stated.

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While the pope applauded the benefits of artificial intelligence, he has warned against using AI "unethically or irresponsibly," the outlet says.